The associated methods and mechanisms used until now for the production of substances for purification and as bactericidal agents and for disinfection based on chlorinated compounds have been very diverse. Precedents exist of high performance equipments, where the products are used for purification of water for human consumption, treatment of residual water, fabrication or formulation of materials for treatment and disinfection, or for the production of bactericides.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,076,754, Evans describes an electrolytic cell that presents a tubular anode and a tubular cathode located in coaxial positions, with the anode surrounding the cathode. The electrolyte is passed between the electrodes and water is pumped through the interior of the cathode to cool the cell. These cells use titanium covered with platinum for the electrodes of the cell. This is employed due to the high corrosion and erosion resistance of these materials.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,390,065, Cooper describes an electrolytic cell consisting of coaxial tubular electrodes, where the anode is the internal electrode. Cooper also demonstrates the use of water for the cooling pumped through the internal electrode. A diaphragm is located between the two electrodes to separate the annular space into anodic and cathodic compartments. The patent uses titanium or titanium covered with noble elements as an electrode material.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,303 by Peters et al. demonstrates an electrolytic cell that describes cylindrical liquid permeable electrodes located in a coaxial position, with the anode inside the cathode. A tubular ion permeable membrane is located around the exterior of the anode to improve the separation of the anolyte layer from the catholyte. The cathode is made of iron, mild steel, nickel or alloys of these materials. The anode is made of titanium, tantalum, zirconium, tungsten or similar materials, with a cover of a metal from the group of platinum or a mixture of platinum and platinum oxides. No coolant is pumped through the hollow interior of the anode.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,735 by Sorenson presents an electrolytic cell that exhibits an internal tube for the recirculation of the cathodic fluid surrounded in a coaxial manner by a cathode permeable to liquids, an ion permeable membrane and thereafter an anode permeable to liquids. There is no coolant pumped through the cell. To obtain the permeability of the liquids, the electrodes are made of, e.g., a perforated plate, a plate with drilled holes, or a wire mesh. The metal of the anode could be of tantalum, tungsten, niobium, zirconium, molybdenum or alloys that contain mentioned materials, but titanium is preferred. The mentioned materials of the cathode are iron, nickel, lead, molybdenum, cobalt or alloys that contain substantial quantities of these metals.
In ES Patent 2,230,304 Applicant Amuchina S. P. and inventor Ponzano Gian Piero, describe an electrolytic cell and a procedure for electrolysis. According to this invention, the sodium hypochlorite is produced from an aqueous solution with active ions coming from brine using an electrolytic cell that contains some cylindrical metallic electrodes that are able to include a fixed bed of very small particular materials to increase the area of the electrodes. The electrolytic cell in this investigation (ES Patent 2,230,304) has a hollow metal cylinder and a cylindrical metallic anode located in a coaxial position inside the cathode to make possible the annular passage. The passage could contain carbon that presents, for example, a grain size of the approximate mean diameter of 100 microns. The electrolytic cell in the investigation could include a cylindrical membrane arranged inside the angular plan to form two chambers: anodic and cathodic.
The procedure to use the electrolytic cell described in this patent consists of passing a dissolution through the two annular passages located between the hollow metallic cathode and the cylinder, and the hollow cylindrical anode is arranged in a coaxial manner inside the cathode and applying tension to the cell (electrolyze the brine) to produce electrolytically a solution of hypochlorite.
According to this patent, it is possible to employ in a consecutive manner, a plural number of electrolytic cells according to the invention. It is possible to connect some heat exchangers in series between the electrolytic cells to control the temperature of the solution that is passed between the cells. The cooling system could support an external system for the heat exchange, double for the divided cells and singular for the undivided cells.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,627 by Melton et al., entitled Hypochlorous acid process, assigned to Olin Corp, describes a process for producing hypochlorous acid by reacting an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide in droplet form with gaseous chlorine to produce hypochlorous acid vapor and a solid alkali metal chloride particles in which the improvement comprises employing molar ratios of gaseous chlorine to the alkali metal hydroxide of at least about 22:1. The process achieves high yields of hypochlorous acid by minimizing side reactions including the formation of chlorate as an impurity in the alkali metal chloride particles produced.
The hypochlorous acid solution produced contains from about 35 to about 60 percent by weight of HOCl, a dissolved chlorine concentration of less than about 2 percent by weight, and is substantially free of alkali metal ions and chloride ions.
In general, these developments are aimed to search for methods and processes that generate active compounds in high concentrations and lower electric energy consumption in order to achieve adequate competitiveness in the market due to its efficiency and stability. In any case, these processes originate from the electrolysis of the salt, i.e., sodium chloride or sea water. However, the additional contribution and the innovation content of the ideas proposed in the development, whose methods and equipment on one hand, generate the stability and very high performance of the product, and on the other hand, they have already been proven and formally documented to fulfill with the elements of sufficient innovation and reliability for the elaboration of the patent and the reclaim of its recognition.